On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 22:46 +0100, "Kevin Chadwick"
<ma1l1ists@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
quoted text
> > I have no understanding of this. I've never seen a df output
> > that tells me I'm using 13GB more space than the drive is
> > capable of holding.
> > 
> > I ask here because there's obviously potential for me to lose
> > data somewhere down the line. I'll be grateful if anyone can
> > explain where I've gone wrong.
> > 
> 
> You can zero the disk device directly but use bs=2m to speed it up or
> use the file you've created as an encryption device with vnconfig.
> 
> There are a few ways of encrypting though.
> 
> Don't worry the -13G is perfectly normal.
> 
> 275 * 0.05 = 13.75 ie 5% is reserved as root for stability and
> important work, had you written the file as a normal user you would have
> had 0 space left and be using 261Gs of 275.
> 
> Lookup up the faq or previous mails at marc.info as I'm sure the answer
> is in both.



Ok... thanks to all of you for very helpful and quick replies.

Also, apologies for not scouring the faq with sufficient tenacity - I've
printed it off for some joyous(?) future lunch hours at work.

And no more cross-posting if that's written in stone. In this case it
didn't seem unreasonable.

Thanks again chaps.